Episode 75

EPISODE 75
LEVEL A1.2/A2.1

 

READING COMPREHENSION

 

TYPES OF TV PROGRAMMES   

Let’s talk about TV once again, shall we? This time we can look at different types of TV programmes. People like different things, but TV has something for everybody. For viewers who like history for example, there are documentaries (= television programmes that give facts and information). For those who are interested in films there are TV series (= a set of short films about one hero), sitcoms (= comedy shows where you hear people laugh in the background) and even soap operas (= a set of short films about people’s lives). For children there are cartoons (= like Bugs Bunny) and for those who like big prizes there are quiz shows (= when you have to answer questions to win something). If somebody wants to learn about famous people, talk shows are just for them (= shows where famous people answer questions about themselves). No wonder TV is the most popular type of mass media.

 

More contexts for the new words:

• A chat show is another name for a talk show.
• A game show is a kind of show where people answer questions to get points.

 

 

EXERCISE 1

Write the words to match the definitions.

 

1. a show where famous people answer questions = ………………………………………..
2. a show where you can win something = ………………………………………..
3. a set of short films about people’s lives = ………………………………………..
4. an animated film for kids = ………………………………………..
5. a comedy show in short episodes = ………………………………………..
6. a programme with facts and information = ………………………………………..

 

 

EXERCISE 2

Put the parts of the questions in the correct order. Then answer the questions.

 

1. soap opera / the longest-running / What is / that you have watched?
2. Which sitcom / the funniest? / do you find
3. documentaries / Do you prefer / Why? / or talk shows?

ENGLISH IN USE 

 

Let’s talk about TV once again, shall we?

This is how we started our lesson today. This is another example of a question tag, but this time it is not a typical one. When we start our sentence with „let’s”, we use „shall we” at the end of the sentence.

Let’s dance, shall we?
Let’s go to the cinema, shall we?
Let’s try to do it again, shall we?

 

IDIOM CLOSE-UP

 

 

A/ This talk show presenter has to do so much talking!

B/ Yeah, you have to be a real CHATTERBOX in this profession!

 

A chatterbox is someone who talks a lot.

 

 

PHRASAL VERBS CLOSE-UP

 

 

1. When you CHAT AWAY, you talk in a friendly way.

Being a quiz show host is the job of my dreams – all you do is chat away for an hour!
The doctor chatted away as he examined my hand.

 

2. When you CHAT somebody UP, you start a conversation with them because you want to have a sexual or romantic relationship with them.

In the last episode of my favourite soap opera, a dreadful guy was trying to chat up my favourite female character.
When I left, Sue was getting chatted up by the barman.

 

EXERCISE 3

Match the sentence halves.

 

1. She spends hours on the phone                     a. just chatting away.
2. He spent all evening chatting her                 b. up and buying her drinks.
3. Alan just can’t stop talking –                         c. he’s a real chatterbox.

 

 

NEWS

 

A NEW SOAP

Millions are bound to switch on their tellies tonight, as the first episode of a new soap is aired on Channel Four. The series is based on a revolutionary idea, telling the stories of a few gay and lesbian couples in an overwhelmingly hostile environment. As the topic is quite controversial in our society, some organizations have already protested against the soap, even before the first episode was officially shown! Some say this was the best kind of advertising. Are you going to watch?

 

GLOSSARY

– bound to – sure to

– soap – soap opera

– aired – shown (on TV)

– overwhelmingly – very

– hostile – not friendly

 

download lesson (pdf)